The method of cutting up the sheets of Crown C.A. paper was to guillotine the half sheets horizontally in half and then twice vertically, dividing each horizontal half into three small sheets, the half C.A. sheet of paper yielding six small Gambia sheets (platesXII.andXIII.). The operators both at the guillotine and at the press seem to have taken the utmost care to arrange all the small sheets uniformly for passing through the press, as the varieties shewing the watermark from left to right are rare. The diagrams on platesXII.andXIII.will illustrate more clearly than a verbal explanation the precise method of dividing up the Crown C.A. paper.
The early printings of the Crown C.A. issue were perforated with the comb machine described in the previous chapter, but in the later printings a new comb machine was introduced, which has not the narrow spaced teeth in the margin, and, consequently, has not the double row of perforation on the right hand margins of the sheets. The perforations produced by the two machines gauge the same, and are not distinguishable in single specimens or blocks, but only in sheets or specimens with pieces of margins. The effect of the two different combs on the sheet may be compared on the two sheets of the 6d. value illustrated on platesX.andXI.We may note (plate VIII.) the second comb with the teeth extendingthrough the top margin, leaving the bottom margin blank, shewing that some of the sheets were perforated from the bottom, which would produce this effect.
Unused imperforate copies exist of all values in the following shades—
Copies in trial colours, perforated 12 instead of 14, exist as follows—
On some of the sheets of the ½d. value stamp 2 shews a slightly elongated left stroke of the letter m in Gambia; No. 5 on the same sheet shews a similar defect in the right stroke of the letter. (Seeplate III., which reproduction, however, only shews the variety on stamp 2.) Stamps Nos. 1, 12, 13 on the same sheet illustrated shew a peculiarity in the form of a broken nose. We have not been able to trace other copies shewing a similar defect, so possibly it is simply due to over-inking or faulty inking of the colour plate.
The plate of the 3d. was altered in the final printing, two additional printers' guide dots being added in theleft margin, and the top and bottom dot on the right being removed (plate VIII.). This was printed in pearl-grey only.
The early printings of the 6d. value shew the sloping labels; they also shew the slight enlargement of the stamps in the top row. These varieties occur in the olive-green, bronze-green, and grey-green shades. Later a new plate was made without the defect in the top row, and this was printed in grey-green only. (Cp. platesXI.andXIV.)
It may be noted that there are two varieties of the overprint on thespecimenstamps of this series, one having the letters sloping upwards from left to right, the other being horizontal.
O
n the 31st January, 1898, the following notice was issued in reference to the postage stamps of the Colony:—
"Withdrawal of Present Issue OfGambia Postage Stamps.
"On the 1st May, 1898, the present issue, if not previously exhausted, of all denominations of Postage Stamps in the Gambia that are then in the hands of the Government will be destroyed, and a complete new set of stamps will then be put in circulation.
"On the 1st May, 1898, the present issue, if not previously exhausted, of all denominations of Postage Stamps in the Gambia that are then in the hands of the Government will be destroyed, and a complete new set of stamps will then be put in circulation.
"Administrator's Office,Bathurst, Gambia,31st January, 1898."
"Administrator's Office,Bathurst, Gambia,31st January, 1898."
After being faithful for nearly thirty years to the graceful design of the "cameo" stamps the Colony adopted the regular De la Rue type printed from a general key plate which did duty for a number of colonial issues.
Essays were prepared by making impressions from this key plate, shewing the profile of the Queen to left in a circle, and the wordspostage—postageat the sides, the top tablet being left blank for the name of the Colony, and a space for the sexagonal tablet of value at bottom also being left blank. The essays consist of such impressions with the nameGambiaand the proposed values painted in by hand, to shew the approximate effect of the stamps which would be produced from this key plate. Only a very few such essays are known.
The values which were actually produced in the new series were—
All the stamps were printed at two impressions, the general design being printed from the key plate, and the nameGambiaand the value tablet by a "duty" plate printed separately. In the ½d., 1d. and 2½d. values, however, both key and duty plates were impressed in the same colour. The plates are constructedto print sheets of 120 stamps, divided in two panes of 60 stamps each. The plate number appears in the margin above and below each pane (plate XVI.). It consists of an uncoloured figure on a circular ground of colour, and is printed by the key plate. The plate numbered "2" was used for all the values in the set, but later printings of the ½d., 1d. and 3d. were printed fromplate III. In the case of the ½d. and 1d. the printings fromplate III. do not shew any marked variation in shade; but in the case of the 3d. both the mauve and the ultramarine colours are distinctively deeper.
The perforation throughout gauges 14; the watermark is Crown C.A. as in the last issue, but upright instead of sideways, as thesepostage—postageplates were constructed to fit the watermarked paper.
T
he change from the Queen's Head type to the King's Head type of design came in 1902, the new general Colonial key plate being used. It is numbered 1 in a similar manner to the numbering on the Queen's Head plates. All the denominations in the previous set were repeated, and a 2s. value was added; later (May, 1905) three new stamps appeared of the face values 1s. 6d., 2s. 6d. and 3s. respectively. Of these three denominations it is stated that only 6000[2]copies of each were printed. The stamps, which were perforated 14 and wereprinted on the same paper (Crown and C.A.) as the last issue, comprised the following values—
Watermarked Crown C.A.
Footnote 2:Compare numbers overprinted in 1906. (Chapter VIII.)
Footnote 2:Compare numbers overprinted in 1906. (Chapter VIII.)
In May, 1905, appeared also three new values printed on multiple Crown C.A. paper, each stamp shewing portions of two or more watermark designs instead of one more or less complete design as heretofore. The new values were the 5d., 7½d. and 10d. These being rather unusual denominations, their appearance caused considerable ferment among collectors, who ascribed their issue to motives not strictly associated with legitimate postal business. Reference to the Post Office Ordinance No. 6 of 1897 (quoted inChapter I.) will shew that the fees for insured parcels in force in the Gambia were 5d. for compensation up to £12, 7½d. up to £24, and 10d. up to £36; so it is not unreasonable if, as one may assume, the colonists availed themselves of these rates of insurance, that there was a use for such denominations.
The new multiple watermarked paper had been adopted for the 1d. value in 1904, and was during 1905-6 introduced for all the regular denominations except the 1s. 6d., 2s. 6d. and 3s. On this paper, therefore, we get the following—
Multiple Crown C.A.
T
he next and only remaining issue we have to describe are in the nature of Provisionals issued during a temporary shortage of halfpenny and penny stamps. The Bathurst correspondent ofEwen's Weekly Stamp News, writing April 30, 1906, communicated the following information, which is published in the issue of that journal for May 26, 1906:—
"The surcharged penny and halfpenny postage stamps on the 3/- and 2/6 denominations respectively were issued on the10th instant, and withdrawn on the 23rd April. The issue was necessary owing to a delay in receipt of a requisition for stamps sent to England on the 9th February, and by the abnormal sales, from some unknown reason, of the usual penny and halfpenny stamps during February and March."A very small issue was made pending the arrival of the mail on the 24th, by which the indent above mentioned was received. The total issue was 4500 penny and 3780 halfpenny."
"The surcharged penny and halfpenny postage stamps on the 3/- and 2/6 denominations respectively were issued on the10th instant, and withdrawn on the 23rd April. The issue was necessary owing to a delay in receipt of a requisition for stamps sent to England on the 9th February, and by the abnormal sales, from some unknown reason, of the usual penny and halfpenny stamps during February and March.
"A very small issue was made pending the arrival of the mail on the 24th, by which the indent above mentioned was received. The total issue was 4500 penny and 3780 halfpenny."
The stamps overprinted to provide these emergency supplies were the 2s. 6d. purple and brown on yellow paper, which was overprinted for the halfpenny, and the 3s. carmine and green on yellow paper for the penny overprint.
The surcharging was effected in the Colony. In the case of the ½d. the overprint consists of the word
in two lines of block capitals, and below this are two bars formed by ordinary printers' rules about 8½mm. long cancelling the figures denoting the original value of the stamp.
The type and rules were set up to overprint the stamps thirty at a time (5 horizontal rows of 6 stamps); thus the complete sheet of 120 stamps had to pass four times through the press. There is a slight variation in the distance between the bottom of the letters comprising the wordpennyand the uppermost bar, in the third and fourth rows of the setting. In rows 1, 2 and 5 the bar is 5mm. away from the bottom of the type; in rows 3 and 4 it is only 4mm. distant.
The first stamp in the second row of the setting is a variety in which theeofpennyis broken and the word readspfnny. The only other variety occurring in the setting is a slightly depressedyofpenny. This occurs in the first stamp in the 5th row.
The 3s. stamp was overprinted with the words "one penny" in one line of small capitals. The overprint was applied to a complete pane of 60 stamps at a time, so that the entire sheet of 120 was surcharged at two impressions instead of four, as in the ½d. on 2s. 6d. stamp. The only varieties which have been recorded of thisone pennyoverprint are of slight defects, possibly occurring only in particular impressions. It, however, exists with the overprint double.
The issue of these two Provisional overprints, following upon the appearance in 1905 of the 5d., 7½d. and 10d. stamps, brought a good deal of censure from philatelists, who considered that the Colony was descending to undignified means of increasing the revenue by the sale of stamps to collectors. At the instance of Lord Crewe an inquiry has lately been held into the reasons for the emission of various Colonial postage stamps, and the report of the Governor of the Gambia is quoted in the printed report of the Commission:—
"The Governor of the Colony states that as the supply of the ½d. and 1d. stamps had been exhausted before the arrival of a new supply which had been ordered, no [regular] stamps of these denominations were available from the 2nd to the 10th April, letters requiring such postage being stamped 'Postage Paid.' The surcharged stamps were on sale from the 10th to the 24th of April, the date on which the new supply became available. A surplus was left over, which was destroyed with proper precautions."
"The Governor of the Colony states that as the supply of the ½d. and 1d. stamps had been exhausted before the arrival of a new supply which had been ordered, no [regular] stamps of these denominations were available from the 2nd to the 10th April, letters requiring such postage being stamped 'Postage Paid.' The surcharged stamps were on sale from the 10th to the 24th of April, the date on which the new supply became available. A surplus was left over, which was destroyed with proper precautions."
The unsold balance of the Provisional ½d. stamps on hand was destroyed "under direction from the Secretary of State and by a special Board appointed by His Excellency the Acting Governor" on October 16, 1906. How small the "unsold balance" was is not stated.
Abbreviations.
Note.—Roman figures thus—V.—denote the volume, and Arabic figures—135—indicate the page. In a few cases the date takes the place of the volume number. In E.W.S.N. the number of the issue alone is given.
Colonial Post Offices Commission[Ward], G.S.W., IX., 88.
Contains the report of the Governor of the Gambia on the Provisional stamps of 1906.
Contains the report of the Governor of the Gambia on the Provisional stamps of 1906.
Corrected Plate, 6d., S.C.F., III., 207.
Forgeries, 6d. [Hilckes], S.C.F., II., 217.
General.The Postage Stamps, etc. ... of the British Colonies, Possessions and Protectorates in Africa. Part II., London, 1900.
The Philatelic Society's work on Africa, pp. 65-72, covers the issues of Gambia adhesives from 1869-1898; also the postcards and reply paid cards.
The Philatelic Society's work on Africa, pp. 65-72, covers the issues of Gambia adhesives from 1869-1898; also the postcards and reply paid cards.
—— S.G.M.J., VI., 26, 144; [Pemberton], P.J.G.B., XVII., 78; [Barnsdall], G.S.W., VIII., 65, 81; [Nankivell], P.S., II., 3; 2 A.J.P., IV., 498; [Lehner], S., I., 90; [Clark], S., I., 102, reprinted in M.W.S.N., X., 255.
Issue of 1869, S.C.M., VII., 57.
—— Date of [Lehner], S., I., 90; [Nankivell], S., I., 106.
Minor Varieties. Sloping label. [Hilckes], S.C.F., II., 253.
Perforations[Bacon], P.R., XXV., 3. ⁂ Plates. [Napier & Bacon], S.G.M.J., XIV., 97. ⁂ Plates.
Provisionals, E.W.S.N., 347, 348, 350, 352, 353, 360, 373.
Sheets[Thiele],The Adhesive, July, 1904.
Speculation, S.C.F., VI., 142.
Values, S.C.F., VI., 119, 126.
Watermarks[Evans], P.R., IV., 224.
1869.—No watermark. Imperforate. White gum.
4d. deep chocolate-brown.4d. brown.4d. pale brown.Yellow gum.Double embossing.6d. deep blue.6d. blue.Yellow gum.Label sloping to right." " left.Double embossing.
1874.—Watermarked vertically Crown C.C. Imperforate. White gum.
4d. deep brown.4d. brown.4d. pale brown.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."reversed."inverted and reversed."bars (division lines of the panes)."portions of words CROWN COLONIES.
6d. deep blue.6d. blue.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."reversed."inverted and reversed."bars."portions of words CROWN COLONIES.
1880.—Watermarked Crown C.C. vertical. Perf. 14. White gum.
½d. golden-yellow.½d. deep golden-yellow,½d. pale orange-vermilion.½d. deep orange-vermilion.½d. citron.½d. pale ochre.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.Single line perf.1st comb perf.Double perf. top and sides (pale orange-vermilion).1d. lake.1d. deep lake.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.Single line perf.1st comb perf.
2d. pale rose.2d. rose.2d. deep rose.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.? Single line perf.1st comb perf.Dot variety.3d. pale ultramarine.3d. deep ultramarine.3d. deep blue.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.Single line perf.1st comb perf.4d. sepia-brown.4d. deep sepia-brown.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.Single line perf.1st comb perf.6d. pale blue.6d. blue.
6d. deep blue.Slantinglabel toright.""left.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.Singleline perf.(vertical watermark).""(sideways watermark).1st comb perf.1s. bright green.1s. deep green.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."sideways.""inverted."portions of words Crown Colonies."division lines of the panes.? Single line perf.1st comb perf.
1886-7.—Watermarked Crown C.A. sideways. Comb perf. 14.
½d. grey-green.½d. myrtle-green.Doubleembossing.""one inverted.Yellow gum.Watermarkportions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (grey-green).Treble perf. at bottom.Leftstroke ofM long.Right""Sheets—1st and 2nd comb perforations.
1d. carmine.1d. rose-carmine.1d. crimson.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkportions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (pale crimson).Sheets—1st and 2nd comb perforations.2d. orange-yellow.2d. orange.2d. deep orange.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkportions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (orange-yellow).Sheets—1st and 2nd comb perforations.2½d. pale ultramarine.2½d. deep ultramarine.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."portions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (pale ultramarine).Sheets—1st and 2nd comb perforations.3d. grey.3d. slate-grey.3d. pearl-grey.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkportions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (pearl-grey).Sheets—1st and 2nd comb perforations.Final printing, 3 guide dots in left margin (pearl-grey only).
4d. brown.4d. deep brown.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkinverted."portions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (brown).Sheets—1st comb perforation.6d. olive-green.6d. bronze-green.6d. grey-green.Labelslanting toright.""left.Double embossing.Yellow gum.Watermarkportions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (slate-green).Sheets—1st and 2nd comb perforations.New plate without defective top row.1s. violet (shades).1s. deep violet.Doubleembossing.""one inverted (violet).Yellow gum.Watermarkportions of wordscrown agents."division lines of the panes.Imperforate (deep violet).Sheets—1st comb perforation.
1898.—Watermarked Crown C.A. (upright). Perf. 14.
[Note.—Unless otherwise stated, the plate number is2.]
[Note.—Unless otherwise stated, the plate number is2.]